Pistons officially sign Drummond to five-year deal

Rod Beard, The Detroit NewsJuly 15, 2016

Auburn Hills — There was little suspense for the Pistons’ final signing of free agency — but it was likely the most important.

The Pistons finished their summer work by officially announcing they signed Drummond to a deal, reportedly five years and around $125 million. The deal comes after Drummond delayed a long-term deal last summer, which saved the team $13 million in cap space to pursue other pieces.

It also makes Drummond the keystone to the franchise and solidifies the starting lineup, which is all under 30 years old and after making the playoffs last season for the first time since 2009, is poised to be a contender in the Eastern Conference for years to come.

The Pistons also signed free agents Ish Smith, Jon Leuer and Boban Marjanovic to fortify their bench, using all of their available cap space. They added Drummond, using his Bird rights, to go over the salary cap, which increased to $94 million.

Drummond was named third-team All-NBA and earned his first All-Star selection last season.